Nathan Scott, from Tsuki Kage Dojo, has compiled the teachings of O’Sensei that can be found in the literature (of special importance are the texts written by O’Sensei himself) and put them together in his website for us to enjoy… and for some to be annoyed.

The compilation can be found at http://www.tsuki-kage.com/ueshiba.html and contains quotes from “Budo Renshu” and “Budo” from O’Sensei, “Traditional Aikido” from Morihiro Saito, “Total Aikido” and “Aikido Shugyo” from Gozo Shioda, and “The Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba” from Kisshomaru Ueshiba.

Ueshiba Morihei Sensei, founder of Aikido, has been often quoted and even more often written about by those that study Aikido. However, the choice of material quoted and discussed is almost exclusively in regards to his background or spiritual teachings. The following translations of his writings and lectures from the pre-WWII era are rarely acknowledged or discussed, and as such have been re-printed here to offer a bit of balance and perspective to those currently studying or researching Aikido.

Aikido starts as pure Daito-ryu (irimi-issoku), and then is rounded out, the opponent projected away rather than crushed or folded close in. In other words, you can’t do aikido unless you can do Daito-ryu. Kamata Hisao describes Ueshiba Morihei’s early aikido in Daito-ryu terms: “He always said, ‘You must enter the opponent; get inside him and then draw him into you!'” This, by the way, is true ukemi on Ueshiba’s part— fully congruent with the precepts of koryu, rather than the modern idea that ukemi is “taking falls.”

Ueshiba Kisshomaru does emphasize here some elements of the basics of proper physical organization and alignment, but if that was enough, why didn’t he – or any of the other top shihan for whom I took ukemi, both in kokyu ryoku yosei ho and in aikido techniques – manifest such power that we otherwise hear about? Perhaps because Ueshiba Morihei (and his compatriots in early Daito-ryu), as I have written over-and-over again, practiced basic breathing exercises, which one could also term kokyu-ho, which literally means “the method of breathing.” “Kokyu-ryoku yosei-ho” means “the cultivation of breath power.” This begs a question, because one can only further develop what one already has. Can we start with a two-person exercise that “refines” power, without developing such power first?

But, without barre work, no ballet; without scales, no virtuoso pianists; without juggling with the feet, no soccer; without prep work, no cordon-bleu. Without exhaustive solo training, no aikido? At least, no aikido of Ueshiba Morihei.

We could practice a full weekend of Aikijujutsu, Jujutsu, Nihon Taijutsu, Iaido, Iaijutsu, Aikuchi and other martial disciplines.

I never step out of the “aiki tatami”, where Senseis Janssens, Miranda, Salas, Ibañez and Teixidó did their best to try to teach us some of the techniques of their two different Yoseikan lines. Miranda Sensei’s line, Yoseikan Ha, includes techniques from old schools, usually meaning Daito Ryu, but also Aikuchi, Jo Gatame, etc. We could say (or, at least it seems to me) that this line is more traditional and painful in its forms.

Janssens Sensei’s Yoseikan tends to be more dynamic in its application. Rich in Sutemi Waza, this line doesn’t invest time in making complicated human knots with its ukes. Instead, tori gets rid of his ukes in a quite expeditive manner.

I also attended the Aikuchi class by Miranda Sensei. Those expecting a class in Tanto Dori didn’t get what they were ready for. In this work, it is tori who’s welding the aikuchi (tanto without tsuba), and it is the aikuchi wielder who “wins” in the kata. A very interesting work, from a different perspective.

Saturday night, the attending groups prepared an exhibition in honor of Javier Juarez Sensei, recently deceased. The Spirit of Budo was present all over it, with demonstrations of Aikijujutsu, Jujutsu, Kenpo, Iaijutsu, Nihon Taijutsu, Aikuchi, Jo Gatame, Tambojutsu, even some Hojojutsu… It was a very emotional moment.

At the end, my whole body was acking for a complete day and night… But I loved it! Hope to see you all next year!!